【创源大讲堂】Three Roads to Low-Emission Long-Haul Trucking: An Optimization Perspective

Long-haul trucking remains a major challenge for transport decarbonization.

Although several technologies promise substantial emission reductions,

their technical potential does not necessarily translate into equivalent

savings under real-world operating conditions. This talk examines three

pathways toward lower-emission long-haul trucking from an operations research

perspective: truck platooning, charge-while-driving infrastructure, and

range-extending battery trailers. For each, the operational decision problems

are formulated and practical constraints analyzed. In truck platooning,

fuel savings depend on partner availability and departure time flexibility.

Charge-while-driving optimization can reduce electrification extent but

faces high infrastructure costs. Battery trailers have high technical

potential but suffer from synchronization and availability issues. The

comparison suggests that technological emission-reduction estimates should

be seen as upper bounds. Operations research is essential to assess achievable

benefits under real constraints. Platooning offers incremental gains,

partial road electrification suits dense freight corridors, and battery

trailers may serve as a transitional solution. The analysis indicates

that the most promising long-term pathway is likely vehicle-based, infrastructure-light,

and compatible with widely available charging infrastructure.

Dr. Nils Boysen is a Professor and Chair of Operations Management at Friedrich

Schiller University Jena, Germany. Before academia, he worked in software

engineering and IT consulting, including IBM Global Services. His research

focuses on facility logistics, warehousing, transportation, and automobile

production, using mathematical modelling, combinatorial optimization,

and complexity analysis. He has published over 200 papers in top journals

such as Management Science, Transportation Science, and EJOR. He serves

on editorial boards of Transportation Science and EJOR, and as Department

Editor for Production Management and Scheduling at OR Spectrum. He has

received multiple awards, including the 2022 Transportation Science Meritorious

Service Award and top rankings in Wirtschaftswoche’s research evaluation.